The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a new funding opportunity of up to $100 million aimed at refurbishing and modernizing the country’s coal power plants. This initiative follows a previous announcement in September regarding a planned $625 million investment to expand and revitalize the American coal industry.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright stated, “For years, the Biden and Obama administrations relentlessly targeted America’s coal industry and workers, resulting in the closure of reliable power plants and higher electricity costs. Thankfully, President Trump has ended the war on American coal and is restoring common sense energy policies that put Americans first. These projects will help keep America's coal plants operating and ensure the United States has the reliable and affordable power it needs to keep the lights on and power our future.”
The funding supports President Trump’s executive orders focused on strengthening both the reliability of the U.S. electric grid and promoting clean coal technology.
The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) seeks proposals for projects that address three main areas: advanced wastewater management systems for water recovery from plant operations; retrofit systems enabling fuel switching between coal and natural gas; and deployment of advanced co-firing systems designed to maximize fuel flexibility while minimizing efficiency losses.
Selected projects will be managed by DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory under its Office of Fossil Energy. The application deadline for interested parties is January 7, 2026.
